Desi Skates wasn't born overnight. It didn't emerge from a sudden business plan or a long-held ambition. In fact, it was never my plan at all, even after skating all the way across India. The story of our launch is a journey that began over a year ago, an unexpected path that was ultimately set in motion by a series of fortunate events and a single, inspiring dream.

My story with this brand actually begins with my brother, who used to work with an American guy named John. One day, they needed a web designer. By a stroke of luck, I had just taught myself how to build websites, and that’s how I met Uncle John. Over the years, I became his dedicated web developer, working on sites for clothing brands, tile companies, and carpets. It slowly became a family business—my brother handled the photography, my sister was our video editor, and I built the websites.

In a way, I owe so much of my life to Uncle John. My work with him allowed me to earn and save enough during my college days to buy a good phone with my own money. It was that very phone that I used when I set out on my biggest adventure yet: skating across India in January 2024. I completed the journey in three months, and that phone was what I used to document and edit all the videos you've seen from my trip.

After I completed the journey and returned home, Uncle John had a powerful idea. He saw my passion and suggested, "Instead of working for other brands, why don't we create our own?" He envisioned a skate brand—Sk8 India—and we started working on it immediately. He was already looking into a partnership with Jaspo for manufacturing and was scouting locations in Manali to build a skate park.

But then, tragedy struck. Uncle John suddenly passed away. It was a heartbreaking loss that brought everything to a halt. The dream was shelved for a few months, a painful reminder of what could have been.

A few months later, I had a realization. Why not honor his legacy and do what he wanted? That decision was the true beginning of Desi Skates. The first step was simple: brainstorming names with my friend Pradeep. After countless ideas, we finally settled on "Desi Skates" in October 2024. And here we are, almost a year later, on September 11, 2025—the brand is finally live.

It wasn't easy. It took a lot of time and a ton of my own laziness, but after all the procrastination and hard work, it's finally here. Unlike Uncle John's initial plan, I started this brand with almost no budget, just the support and help of my friends and family. That’s why we’re starting small, with skate merchandise, skate jewelry (a huge thanks to Foxyroks), and posters.

Some people might think a person who skated across a country would naturally launch his own brand. But the truth is, Desi Skates exists only because of Uncle John's dream. I never planned to start a company, but I've always wanted to promote skateboarding in India. And in the end, it all came together.

The rest, as they say, is history.